The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-02-03
The Late M. G. Davis.

We briefly stated last week that Mr.. M.
G.. Davis. one of the lessees of the Cri-
mora Manganese Mines. had died in Cuba.
of yellow fever. AS he was we'll known to
many of our people, especially in the South
River District, we take from the Pitts
burg american Manufacturer the following
sketch of his life:
On Tuesday of last week (the lSth) the sad In
telligence was cabIed to Pittsburg that Mr.. M.
G. Davis, of the American Manganese Co, Linn
Cuba, where he had gone to examine. with a
view Of opening, some new manganese mines
near that place. No 1ntimation had been re-
ceived that Mr.. Davis was feeling the effects of
the climate until Tuesday forenoon, when a
cable was received that he was i'll and within
three hours second cable came that he was
dead. Definite particulars ofa his Illness have
not been received, and it can only be surmised
that his well-known energy and push led him
victim to this dread disease.
| Mr.. Davis was born in Rutland Mass, March
l. 1877, and was consequently in the 10th year OF
his age. When years old his parents moved to
Worcester, Mass, and here he went to school
until 1868, when he entered machine shop to
| learn the machinist trade, at which he con-
tinued to work until 1876. The depression in
business in 1876 threw him out of EN- poyment
| In one sense, however, this was not misfor-
tune. 1t turned his attention to the Industry
manganese m1n1ng-1n which he achieved
such notable success The record of his efforts at
mapaanese mining are so characteristic of the
| successes an failures of this branch OF the
| mining industry. and at the same time SO thor
Oughly illustrate some of the prominent traits
! of his character, that we mention them quite
| fully.
While on brief visit to the Centennial Ex-
hibition and the South in 1876 his attention
was called to manganese, and he at once be-
| came interested in the same. He foresaw the
| Importance this mineral was destined to as
sumo, studied its character and occurrence,
| learned all he could of it, and began mining at
| Harper's Ferry in 1877, just 10 years ago. The
mine was flooded In lS7S. by no means an UNI
| common occurrence at manganese mines, and
his entire investment was lost. He secured
| assistance, howevever, In the East and opened
other manganese mines in Virginia during 1879.
| But little ore was found, however, and loss
again attended his efforts. His perSistency and
| refusal to acknowledge ultimate defeat led
him to renewed and thorough study of the
| problem connected with the occurrence and
mining OF manganese ore and continued search
| for manganese deposits. Al the time of his
death it is probable that there was not a local
| ity in the country in which manganese had
been found or was supposed to exist with
which he was not conversaut.
/ During the winter of 1879 so he learned of the
/ CrimOra mines, with whose development and
| success he has ever since been SO Intimately
| connected. This niue had been opened as
| several years prior to 1850, when Mr.. Davis
came to Plttsburg as its sales agent, which
| position he occupied until 1882, when the death
| of the lessee of the mine led to the Offering OF
the lease and plaf for sale.
In this year Mr. Davis interested Pittsburgh
| capital In the mine, and ]. b. White & Co. be-
| came its lessees, Mr.. Davis becoming mem
Der of this firm. During the first year of the
operations under the new company constant
discouragements were met with. The mine
| caved in and it was flooded almost without
warning, but Mr.. Davis persisted, secured the
construction of a railroad of some miles from
the Shenandoah Valley railroad to the mine in
spite of great obstacles, and thus made ready to
/ transport the ore that he believed would be
found. In 1880 there were mined 1868 tons OF
| ore. On the com pletion of the branch road new
shafts were sunk, additional pumps put down,
new washers erected, precautions against
| flooding adopted, and stripping of the surface
undertaken. In 1888 the output of the mine
| was 5lS5 tons. which was increased to 1891 tons
in 1884, to Is 2l2 tons in 1885, and tons in
/ 1885,
In 1885 Messrs Carnegie Bros. & Co., Limited.
| who were the largest consumers of manganese
ore in the United States and had been the
1aegeSt p urchaserS of CriHlora ores, purchased
| Mr.. j. b. Whites interest in the lease of the
1 CrimOra mines and with Mr.. Davis formed the
| American Manganese Company, Limited, which
/ has since operated this mine. purchased or
leased other properties and engaged extern
sively in the purchase and sale of manganese.
| It was at the Messrs Carnegies desire that Mr..
| Davis retained his interest in the lease, they
wishing to avail themselves OF his energy and
| knowledge OF manganese and its mining.
| The above story of his connection with man
ganese mining illustrates one phase of Mr..
Davis's character. In his business relations ne
! was upright and honorable in all his dealings.
| Though his relations to those associated were
peculiar they testify to his strict Integrity and
fair dealing. He was active in church work,
1 being an elder in the Fourth Presbyterian
church, OF Pittsburg. In his private relations
he was in the highest sense of the word o chris
| t1an gentleman, ouIteous, affable and friend
| whose acquaintance was sought after, and Gull
| tivated once it had been formed
| Mr.. Davis was married in 1869 His wife and
three children, the eldest boy OF ten years, sur
! vive him.